Book Corner 2026: Books, Voices and Podcasts

«For me, reading has been like one long, uninterrupted kiss that gave me life.» Alda Merini’s words perfectly capture the spirit of the Meeting 2026 Book Corner: a place where books are not simply presented, but become opportunities for encounter, dialogue and discovery. Reading enlivens our lives, awakens questions, opens new horizons and accompanies the search for the Mystery that “moves the sun and the other stars.”

Once again this year, the Italian Association of Cultural Centres, the Meeting’s long-standing partner, will curate the Book Corner with a rich programme of events dedicated to the most significant new publications. Authors, scholars and leading figures from the cultural world will engage in conversations around their books, offering visitors a unique opportunity to explore the themes at the heart of the 47th edition of the Meeting.

Over the past few editions, these conversations have also given rise to a podcast series that has become a much-anticipated feature, available on the main digital platforms. In Hall A5, a dedicated recording space will host the production of new episodes, allowing visitors to attend the live recordings and witness the conversations as they take shape before continuing their journey online.

(In the images: some of the posters for Book Corner 2026).

Among the guests at Book Corner 2026 are Enrico Galiano, Viola Ardone, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, José Tolentino de Mendonça, Cristina Dell’Acqua, Jean-Paul Vesco, Nello Cristianini, Benedetta Centovalli, Maria Segato, Paolo Musso, Mirna Mastronardi, Elena Mazzola, Francesco Fadigati, Giovanni Stanghellini, Maria Cristina Terzaghi, Davide Dall’Ombra, Yaryna Grusha and many other distinguished figures from the Italian and international cultural scene.

The podcasts will be available from July onwards and throughout the Meeting on Spreaker, Spotify and the main podcast platforms, and will also be shared through the Meeting’s and the Italian Association of Cultural Centres’ social media channels.

Alongside the book presentations, Book Corner 2026 will host a special daily programme dedicated to some of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Six readings will guide audiences through the works of Raymond Carver, Eugenio Montale, Luigi Pirandello, Alda Merini, Rainer Maria Rilke and Wisława Szymborska. This journey through poetry and fiction brings together authors united by their ability to give voice to the deepest questions of the human heart. Literature thus becomes a living experience once more, a love that sets the world in motion again and accompanies each person along life’s journey.

In addition to the scheduled readings, throughout the Meeting the Book Corner will offer a guided itinerary dedicated to these six great authors, enabling visitors to deepen their understanding of their works and discover their enduring relevance. The full programme is available on the dedicated Book Corner page of the Meeting 2026 website.

Opening the new podcast series is the testimony of Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza and author of The Ruins and the Light. The Moving Testimony of Gaza’s Parish Priest (Piemme), interviewed by Andrea Avveduto, journalist with Pro Terra Sancta.

During the conversation, Fr. Romanelli recounts the life of Gaza’s small Christian community, which continues to be a place of welcome and hope in the midst of war. Asked how it is possible not to give in to hatred, he points to the path of forgiveness and to the certainty that «evil is always limited; what is limitless is goodness.» His testimony echoes the very heart of the Meeting’s theme: a love capable of sustaining humanity, generating reconciliation and continuing to build even in the most dramatic circumstances.